Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to 3D printing methods, in particular relates to a 3D printing method implemented by swaths and product from the 3D printing method.
Description of Related Art
A 3D ink-jet printer reads a 3D graphic file input by a user, and performs ink-jetting to stack a corresponding 3D model, which is convenient to operate.
Refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a related art 3D printer. Specifically, a 3D ink-jet printer 1 (referred as the printer 1) comprises a nozzle 11 and a printing platform 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle 11 is a wide nozzle, and installed with a plurality of spray pores. When the printer 1 controls the nozzle 11 to print, the nozzle 11 simultaneously sprays a row of ink droplets via the plurality of spray heads so as to print a row of printing dots on the printing platform 12. The quantity of the printing dots is determined by a swath-width set up for the nozzle 11 (as the swath-width S shown in FIG. 2), and the quantity does not exceed the width of the nozzle 11.
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are respectively a swath top view diagram of the related art 3D printer and a 3D model cross section diagram of the related art 3D printer. The nozzle 11 is set with a determined width. During printing, the printer 1 controls the nozzle 11 to move towards X-axis, thus the nozzle 11 prints a swath 21 on the printing platform 12. Specifically, the printing dots quantity in the swath 21 on Y-axis is determined by the swath-width S, and the printing dots quantity in the swath 21 on X-axis is determined by the moving distance of the nozzle 11 from the printing platform 12.
In order to complete the printing of a 3D model product 4 within the shortest time, the swaths 21 is configured with the largest swath-width S possible in the printer 1. Generally speaking, the maximum of the swath-width S approximately equals to the width of the nozzle 11. Accordingly, the printer 1 uses the least number of prints to cover the entire printing platform 12. In the embodiment in FIG. 2, three swaths 21 are required to cover a platform width W of the printing platform 12. In other words, the printer 1 only needs to print three swaths 21 (generally referred as three prints) to complete the printing of a printing layer 2 of the 3D model product 4.
As shown in FIG. 3, a 3D model product 4 is comprised of a plurality of printing layers 2, and each of printing layer 2 is respectively comprised of a plurality of the swaths 21 (for example, three swaths 21 shown in FIG. 3). When the printer 1 prints a swaths 21, the printer 1 recognize the width end point of the last swath 21 as the width start point of the next swath 21. Accordingly, a seam 3 is generated between two swaths 21.
In the related art, the printer 1 prints the swaths 21 of each printing layer 2 with the same swath-width S. As shown in FIG. 3, the positions of the seams 3 between swaths 21 on each printing layer 2 are the same. Accordingly, in a printed 3D model product 4, the seams 3 between printing layer 2 form one or several contacting lines.
According to the experiments of the inventors of the present invention, when the 3D model product 4 generated by printing with associated related art was squeezed by external forces, the 3D model product 4 is prone to crack along the contacting lines, which indicates that the strength of the 3D model product 4 is insufficient. It is desired to improve the printing method adapted in the related art.